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Chapter 10

I think that's a good thing. My calf is killing me. Truthfully, I feel faint. I'm scared to take the bandage off, it's now a red bandage, completely soaked with blood. Every time I overwork my leg, it opens up and begins to seep again.
Stone leads me about thirty yards down the side of the cliff from the body of the Beast, where there is a barely visible set of stone stairs carved into the side of the cliff.
The stairs are classic, just cliché. But I would like to remind you that climbing them is no easy task. One, the cliff was huge, and, two, there are no railings. Add that to the fact that, once you get up high enough, whenever you look down you begin to feel queasy, I'm feeling quite nauseous by the time we reach the top.
"Whew, I think I need to talk to my grandfather about that. You okay?" Stone asks, barely panting, at the top.
"I'll get back to you on that," I barely manage to choke out, before turning and kneeling on the edge of the cliff, retching down a hundred feet.
"Lovely." He says, turning away. On the top of the cliff, just like he said, is a trading post. There's a small-ish, two room cottage at the edge of the clearing, right before the forest grows back up. Before that is a cobblestone area, of about thirty feet. In the center is a well, with a small crank and bucket. Circling the well, are a small variety of vendors, about five stalls. You'd be surprised- I am- At how many people would need a trading post in the middle of the Wold.
I'd say there are about twenty people milling about, not including the vendors. There are men with basset hound snouts and eyes, mournfully glancing at the food stall. Women with children that flap about with bat wings, like miniature vampire bats. A young man and woman hold hands and shop for a bow and arrow, both of them with tails sticking from a hole in their trousers.
"Whoa." I say, stopping in my tracks. No one has seen us yet, and I'm perfectly fine with that. The Exam's had been a challenge for me, enduring that many people all around me- But I hated crowds. Period. Especially when some of them were holding guns and knives, or had wicked teeth jutting from their jaws.
"Does your uncle have a backdoor?" I plead, as Stone pulls me towards the crowd.
"No, there's only one way. C'mon," My claws shoot from my fingers and toes, and my feet grip a tree root, keeping me away from the horrid milling mass of people. "What's wrong?" Stone asks, yanking on my arm. I don't mean to, but involuntarily my hand grips his arm, claws piercing his skin.
"Ow! What was that for?!" He demands, holding his arm up to his face. Five little droplets of blood spatter to the ground. Oops.
"I- I can't do it."
"Do what?" He says angrily, wiping at the trickles of blood, but only succeeding in making a large red smear down his forearm.
"Crowds. Too many people. No." I manage to stutter out, still pulling away.
"You want your leg fixed or not? I didn't ask to come here!" He cries exasperatedly. The mob has noticed us now, and silence has fallen on them. They're tensing up, preparing to spring.
"Fine." I snarl through gritted teeth. Stone still has to half drag my onto the cobblestone area. All the chit-chat and bartering, the clamor and arguing, all is silent. Every eye- I say that, because some people only had one- Is trained on me and Stone, as he hauls my butt to the edge of the market, and up to the door of the cottage. He knocks.
"Who is it?" The voice comes from inside at once, loud and boisterous.
"It's C-Stone, grandfather!" Stone calls.
"Who?"
"Poor old man, he's forgotten my name," Stone says, a little too quickly. I narrow my eyes, but I'm still watching the suspicious little girl with pigtails, munching on an apple. She has it in for me, I know it.
"Your grandson!" Stone calls again.
The door opens at once, surprising me. The voice had sounded as if it were at the other end of the house.
"Ah, why didn't you just say so? Come on in, Co-"
"This is Ash. She's wounded, and needs immediate attention." Stone cuts in quickly. The man on the doorstep is tall, with a heavy chest, and enormous arms. His belly sticks out in front of him, denoting his muscular, abrasive appearance, his long salt-and-pepper beard untrimmed and tangled. A smile lights his face, but his eyes are cold and hard. He has the look of a powerful man gone to seed.
He frowns, squinting at Stone, but turns to me, and smiles lightly again.
"Of course, I never refuse a patient, come right in!" He welcomes me right in, but I see him turn and glance back at Stone, who's vanishing out the door, shutting it behind him. The door clicks shut, and all the sound from outside is cut off.
I know Stone is hiding something. His grandfather knows it too. Maybe I can talk it out of the old man, and find out why Stone didn't want to come to the first's house. He seemed friendly enough, and not at all hostile to his grandson. I don't think I'll ever figure that kid out.